From Germany
According to [NL], The Canon EF 28 f/2.8 no longer appears on German price lists. This lens is one of only three lenses left from the original EOS line-up. The other 2 being the 50 f/2.5 compact macro and the 135 f/2.8 soft focus.

smirkypants

Honestly, I see no reason to own this lens. I've used it and it's slow to focus, loud, only 2.8 and the IQ is just okay. There are so many zooms that overlap this, and unless there's a real, quantifiable reason to own a prime, you're wasting your money. Pretty much my rule of thumb is, if you're happy with 2.8, get a zoom, if you want to do better, get a high quality prime. This lens failed on both counts. This is the lens you buy because it's cheap, then it sits in the bottom of your camera bag for 5 years collecting dust.

Honestly, I see no reason to own this lens. I've used it and it's slow to focus, loud, only 2.8 and the IQ is just okay. There are so many zooms that overlap this, and unless there's a real, quantifiable reason to own a prime, you're wasting your money. Pretty much my rule of thumb is, if you're happy with 2.8, get a zoom, if you want to do better, get a high quality prime. This lens failed on both counts. This is the lens you buy because it's cheap, then it sits in the bottom of your camera bag for 5 years collecting dust.

As stated above, there are f/2.8 zooms of good quality, so I can't imagine the 28/2.8 is a popular lens.

Don't forget that in addition to the EF 28mm f/2.8, there's also an EF 28mm f/1.8 USM, a newer and more expensive lens. If this isn't just a temporary/regional change, and Canon actually is discontinuing the 28/2.8, they may be getting rid of the cheaper, poorer-selling lens and driving people to purchase the more expensive lens if they need the 28mm focal length as a prime.

I own the 28mm f/2.8 and agree with smirkypants that it is too loud, slow (focusing and aperture), and optically mediocre for me to use very often. I would love for Canon to replace the 35mm f/2 and 28mm f/2.8 with USM (MM USM for lower cost). I also think the 50mm f/1.8 should get MM and better build quality (and a bump up in price, but still below $200), and the 50mm f/1.4 USM to get the real USM (would likely push the cost up to the 85mm f/1.8 or 100mm f/2 range). C'mon Canon, Nikon has been replacing all its non-Professional primes lately. Isn't it time for Canon to make USM standard?

smirky, I agree with most of what you say, but the 28mm f/2.8 is a $260 lens, the comparable f/2.8 zooms you talk about start at $1000 for Canon, or $440-850 for third-party lenses. Additionally the f/2.8 zoom are considerably larger and heavier than the 28mm f/2.8. Not everyone can afford the zooms or the included weight and size. That said, a more silent and optically better 28mm f/2.8 would be nice if the price remains low.

I did not pay $250 for my 28mm f/2.8, and definitely would not have bought it if it were more than the $50 I paid.

smirkypants

smirky, I agree with most of what you say, but the 28mm f/2.8 is a $260 lens, the comparable f/2.8 zooms you talk about start at $1000 for Canon

Kyle... $260 retail for THIS piece of lego made by my little brother? That's halfway to an iPad. That's 3/5 of the way to a Siggy 30mm 1.4. That's a week's groceries. Relatively speaking it's inexpensive compared to other Canon lenses, but c'mon... $260? For this? If I were to pay $30 at a garage sale, I might think about putting it on a first generation Rebel and carrying it around the bad parts of town taking pictures of graffiti at night... if I could get it to focus fast enough to avoid the guy with the ski cap.

No, despite inventing the ultrasonic lens motor, that seem to be Nikon's job!

I'd like to get excited about this lens dropping off price lists, but this has happened before just for them to suddenly become available again. Like many people have pointed out, this cannot be a popular lens -the Tamron 17-50 f2.8 XR Di ll LD is not a whole lot more money for a much better lens; it wouldn't be surprising if Canon were simply killing the 28mm f/2.8 off due to lack of sales. I hope I'm wrong on this count, an EF-S 30mm f/1.8 is long overdue and yes, it should have a USM motor!

Logged

jseliger

I have the "nifty 50" on a t2i but find the length too great much of the time. Which means I've been contemplating a prime in the 28 – 35mm range, but the 30mm Sigma and 28mm Canon are too expensive (and the latter is too old), while the 35mm is also old and its price has increased by more than $100 in the last four months.

So I'm hoping for a lens in the $200 – $300 neighborhood. Perhaps that's overly optimistic.

Canon needs to make some more lenses of the quality and light weight of the EF 85mm f1.8.

BTW a Sony NEX 7 with the Zeiss 24mm f1,8 lens weighs less than a Canon 60D body. To some of us, high quality and light weight, is worth extra money. So my question to Canon is, why are you driving shooters like me to Sony (weight) and Nikon (focusing)

SnapHappy

Canon needs to make some more lenses of the quality and light weight of the EF 85mm f1.8.

BTW a Sony NEX 7 with the Zeiss 24mm f1,8 lens weighs less than a Canon 60D body. To some of us, high quality and light weight, is worth extra money. So my question to Canon is, why are you driving shooters like me to Sony (weight) and Nikon (focusing)

I keep hearing this and am wondering if Nikon really is better at focusing?